During the Great American Beer Fest two weeks ago, we attended an event hosted by Goose Island Beer Co. where they premiered their film "Grit & Grain." The film shares the story about how their well-known Bourbon County Stout is made - from the cutting down of white oak trees in the Ozarks to make the bourbon barrels all the way to the tasting the finished product.

Although not a significant amount of the story involves sustainability practices, the film does show two important aspects to the process:

How the forests are properly managed by the forestry companies to keep the forest growing, not diminishing.

The repurpose use of the bourbon barrels for beer. Bourbon barrels may only be used one time, according to the definition and practice of making bourbon. Bourbon County Stout adds a second-life for the barrels.